Soul Land: Xiao Yan Reincarnates as Huo Yuhao

Realizing that the tragedies he suffered in both lives were all caused by this black ring, Xiao Yan instantly lost control, his emotions spiraling out as if he were possessed by a mad demon.

But just then, the ancient black ring he had thrown began to hover eerily in midair. What shocked Xiao Yan even more was the translucent, aged figure floating above it…

"Young man, you've lived two lives; your actual age must be at least twenty. Why are you still so reckless?" The translucent elder frowned slightly, staring at Xiao Yan with a look of displeasure as he spoke in a calm voice.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's mouth twitched, suppressing his fury as he demanded, "Old man, you talk as if you're so righteous. Do you have any idea how miserable my life has been because you hid in my ring, draining my Dou Qi?"

"In my past life, I went from a young genius to a complete failure overnight. Do you know how much ridicule and scorn I endured after that? In this life, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been stuck at such a low level in my cultivation. If I had been able to cultivate normally, I wouldn't be in such a helpless and destitute position now!"

As Xiao Yan's angered accusations poured out, the elder felt a twinge of guilt and said, "The ridicule and scorn you faced in your previous life helped you grow, didn't it? It showed you who truly cared for you. You gained something from it… And in this life, without those experiences, would you possess the patience and wisdom you have now?"

"Who truly cared for me? Xun'er… Father." At that, Xiao Yan's thoughts drifted to the girl in green from his past life, who stayed by his side regardless of his accomplishments. A slight smile touched his lips.

And then, there was his father, who had only showered him with more love when he was down and out.

Thinking of his father, Xiao Zhan, from his past life, and then comparing him to the White Tiger Duke in this life—a man he had never even met—Xiao Yan's smile turned self-deprecating. But slowly, his anger cooled, and a sense of calm settled over him.

Why was this?

Because after venting his rage, Xiao Yan had come to a realization: now that he knew the reason he couldn't gather Dou Qi, he only needed to distance himself from this old man, and he could start cultivating again.

The thought of finally being able to resume cultivation and avenge his mother's death filled Xiao Yan with a sense of relief. He subconsciously took a few steps back and said, "Even if you are from Dou Qi Continent like me, if you plan on staying in my ring to drain my Dou Qi again, I suggest you find another poor soul. I can't afford to keep you around."

"Hehe, but no one else has your kind of talent." Stroking his chin, the elder chuckled. "Don't worry, I no longer need to absorb your Dou Qi to recover. Back then, I had no choice."

"Hmph." Xiao Yan scoffed, rolling his eyes silently. He had already made up his mind; no matter how much this old man tried to sweet-talk him, he wouldn't allow him to stay in the ring anymore.

"Young man, don't you want to avenge your mother? Perhaps I can help you," the elder suddenly offered.

Although Xiao Yan had resolved not to let this elder stay in his ring, his heart skipped a beat at these words.

"Now that I understand why I couldn't cultivate, do you think I still need your help with my talent? In a few years, I'll be able to avenge my mother myself." Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan spoke firmly.

"Besides, why should I trust you? Nothing in life comes free. You secretly drained my Dou Qi before, causing me endless suffering. Letting you stay by my side again is hardly a wise choice."

With that, Xiao Yan took another step back.

"Well, well, young man, you sure are cautious. But even if you regain your cultivation talent, what good will that do? When you reach the Dou Zhe stage, you'll find you lack the techniques and skills needed to progress. How will you proceed from there?" The elder smirked, his expression cunning.

"You… you have a point." Xiao Yan's face fell, stumped by the elder's logic. But then, inspiration struck, and he said resolutely, "Fine, I'll just cultivate this world's martial spirits."

"Martial spirits? Heh." Hearing those words, the elder chuckled. "Even though I was in slumber, I used my strong soul perception to gain some understanding of this world through you."

"If I remember correctly, soul masters here are divided into nine ranks, from Soul Scholar, Soul Master, Grandmaster, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Sage, and Soul Douluo, to Titled Douluo. It's somewhat similar to the ranks on the Dou Qi Continent—the higher the rank, the greater the power."

"When you awakened your martial spirit, I believe your innate soul power was only a few levels, and your martial spirit was what people around you called a useless spirit, the Spirit Eyes. With such limitations, it's unlikely you'd ever reach a high level of cultivation."

"Moreover, this world's cultivation method is different from our old world. To strengthen your martial spirit, you'd need to hunt beasts, and given your current state, it would be nearly impossible to exact your revenge within your lifetime…"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's frustration grew, his fists clenching as his eyes involuntarily glanced at the mysterious elder before him. Begrudgingly, he asked, "Do you have a way to help me?"

"Perhaps," the elder replied ambiguously with a faint smile.

"How about this: if you help me reach the Dou Ling stage, I'll forget about you draining my Dou Qi. At that level, I should have enough power to seek revenge, right?" Xiao Yan asked, testing the waters.

"Dou Ling?" The elder chuckled. "I'll consider it."

"Old man, are you capable or not? Don't tell me you're all talk with no real skill?" Xiao Yan spread his hands, half-believing, half-doubting.

The elder looked at Xiao Yan, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes as he grinned slyly. "If you want my help, you'll need to acknowledge me as your master."

"Master? Why should I call you that?" Xiao Yan retorted.

"Why? Do you expect me to teach you everything without any respect? Dream on," the elder rolled his eyes. "Becoming my disciple will only benefit you."

"No!" Xiao Yan shook his head decisively, his voice firm. "You drained my Dou Qi in the first place.

Helping me recover my cultivation is merely paying off your debt."